If you thought the weather on Monday’s stage of Paris-Nice was a bit unpleasant, take a look at the snow that’s settling on the course on stage three.
The feed zone looked a little like Narnia, judging by some of the pictures and videos put out by teams on Twitter, and FDJ even went as far as saying that the roads weren’t suitable for racing.
Many people on Twitter were calling for the UCI’s Extreme Weather Protocol to be invoked, but no-one seemed entirely sure as to just how to invoke it. The stage was eventually cancelled.
>>> Paris-Nice stage three cancelled due to adverse weather conditions
The UCI’s document on the protocol states: “The protocol involves notably the compulsory convening of a meeting between the stakeholders (organisation including race doctor and chief of security, riders, teams, President of the Commissaires Panel,) when extreme weather conditions are anticipated prior to the start of a stage. This meeting can be convened at the request of any one of the named representatives.
But organisers have seen sense today, neutralising the race until the 125km mark, where the snow is reportedly less of a problem. That didn’t last long though, as it got so bad that the stage was eventually abandoned by the race organisers.
>>> Tom Boonen: UCI Extreme Weather Protocol should have been used at Paris-Nice
https://twitter.com/TourDeJose/status/707571187396771840
#ParisNice stage 3: @MBurghardt83 shows us how to change gloves mid-race when it's freezing cold and raining. pic.twitter.com/fNmJgJeneS
— BMC Racing Team (@BMCProTeam) March 9, 2016
Ca ne s'arrange pas. #ParisNice pic.twitter.com/HICUQbpEu2
— Equipe FDJ (@EquipeFDJ) March 9, 2016
#ParisNice #TeamKATUSHA follow us! pic.twitter.com/q7OHinxfxf
— Team KATUSHA ALPECIN (@katushacycling) March 9, 2016
